New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-11
TUACKERlTS LETTERS.
A BOOK FOR CHRISTMAS-llME.

~ Vim r.rtrllis ana Ecprsductions - Letters
and Drawings. syc, pl.le 'har'e' Hci'"he'T '""N
If Is impossiLle TO read these delightful letters OF
Tbackrrav without recalling Iehnysons o Re on the
Duke of WELLINGTON" Whatever record leap to
I,cht. never shall be shamed." Written in all
the abandon OF intimate friendship, thry du"I" tue
cearcst and most nvincirg testimony to the ruI-
itv tenderness and nobility OF his character.
Cbarmlu, IN their Tree and playful humor. abound
NOM fine most genial wit, they also exhibit The
great author in more solemn moods and, while 81.
rlaylng that Geep-lying element OF melanch'N
which is behind ali genuine satire ana whlch m"9'
have been increased in him 10y the tragedy OF ms
home Ike. there not one line or thought Or sn--
ccstion III them which Goes not 90 MN hohoI'
which is not of a nature 10 strengthen the love anc
admiration to which hi, public writings had ent.
tied him.
No more charming correspondence mas. indeed,
ever cen rubli,le d. The fun is of tie danties' /
kind, often melting almost imperceptihly mo
pathos One would surlnise that II tbs gentle
rure and clearslghted sonl, while the laughter /
was ever ready the tears were never lar from
the surface. Ard how deep and genuine
religious spirit treaties through bis lettcr'' Hc
may not have been much OF churchman' bnt
assuredly he was a devout Christian. lie walked
through life doing his duty with cheeifaI ai"c-
rjty wing Of his best to all his friends ana I"
all the world; frightening every company 10
oined and hearing bis PERSONAL sorio"s Win
manly fortitude and reserve. His HodeSty was
beautifl'. Surely author has ever exhibited ie-s
of the jealousy which 50 often heiitcs the memory
o. great writer's. How cordially and with what |
hearty adm iration he always speaks OF Dickehs
How pleased lie is to be OF service 10 SURG IhR
vouug autA ors. How nstinctively he shr'n&S not
only from selfprase but from the naturai reeosu4-
ton OF his genius by Others
One cannot read these letters, indeed, without
regrctting the prohibition winch the writer rn'
upon all biographical exposition OF his lie. lhey
show more than anything that We nave from MS
pep how rich n mine is thus closed 10 the world
His daughter has obeyed his wishes IN tins most
Loyalty, but the del ght and admiration when nave
been evoked by the publication OF this iragmentay
record Of her father, private life may possibly
cause her to reflect anew upon the wisdom of the
course she has hitherto been led to adhere to bY
h,ial Affection Surely the life and letters OF such
a man as Thackeray ought not 10 be withheld per
marentlv from q world which stands 70 greatly ia
need of noble examples. Surely Literature has
some claim TO the publication OF record at once so
inspiring and full OF interest record tue purity
and integrity OF which shoad in some sort re-
dound to the credit OF the this great man
exalted and the career he ennobcd
Silence in his case could not but wrong him.
While lie lived the superficial estimate OF his charac
did not know HIN was little short of calumny
II was .he habit Of his contemporaries at one time
TO aftect the belief that the author CT Vanity
Fair was cynic q kind Of modern Diogenos
" ,se forte was tho depreciation. OF his own time.
and whose satire the relief OF Overlooking bile
SO groesque aud perVerie caricature OF the real
ity u.s. indeed. swept away at once and forever by
the truth which shines from these letters But bow
little the world yet knows of Dne whom, really
knowing, L must deli ght to honor One kindred soul
indeed recognized Thackerays genius and the loft
mess Of his spirit long before his fame was estab
| l.shcd ana whoever desires TO SEQ that recogDi-
ton. flashing out from the crowd like the hailng
signal of Brother Of the Craft must read the org
inal preface to Jane Eyre"
The initiates doubtless need no new helps to their
ADJ recitation of the Master. They trace him in his
published works. They follow the DEVELOPMENT OF
La fine shirt through his miscellaneous papers.
They know that In Ills later contributions TO lhe
Cornhll"i in those fascinating Roundabout
PAPERS: he showed more OF his inner sell than III
all his previous writings perhaps. They can per
ceive the sacred wrath, as OF q Hebrew prophet,
which inspired him when mean and base things
came under his hand for Analysis They under
stand the philanthroplc spr!t-truly a love of his
kind-whch spoke in his brilliant denuuciation.
his gmost cynical seeming criticisms. They see,
too,tbe tenderness and cblvary which could never
have been embodied in Colonel Newcome lad they
not first existed in his creator But the world re-
ouires e1oteric teaching 1t caunot penetrate be-
peaththe surface It will not take the iTonbie to I'M
cover what is concealed. Sooner Will 1t take the
mask for the reality, and accept the parable as
| recita Of matter-Of-fact.
The letters of Thackeray arc revelation, yet but
a partial one. They show what the man as In his
private life, hut not fully. They are rather suggest
i've than explanatory, but what they seem to us
most urgently to suggest Is the need OF biography
of the author. They afford conclusive evidence
that sneh work would ut once take place ms ono Of
the most important and in every way valuable ut
erary prodr ctons of tho century Even these let
ters short an lie tho period covered by them. have
pocn received with Joyful accamatlon, echoed
wherever Englishrpsakipg people iiva throughout
the hsbitablo globe How puch more then tho
pride and pleasure with which Life and Letters